Cerium Pharmaceuticals Synacthen, a treatment for infantile spasms, is no threat to Questcor's...

Cerium Pharmaceuticals Synacthen, a treatment for infantile spasms, is no threat to Questcor's (QCOR-7.3%) Acthar for a number of reasons, says PropThink's David Moskowitz. First, the drug is known to contain benzyl alcohol which has been implicated in infant toxicity, and FDA approval for a product containing this ingredient in infants is highly unlikely. Second, QCOR's Acthar Gel already has Orphan Drug status with an exclusivity for infantile spasms that doesn't expire until 2017. Lastly, infantile spasms represent only a small fraction of Acthar sales, so it would have minimal impact.